My 2017 Highlight Reel

Man, 2017 was a year I'll never forget. Aside from the obvious part where I got engaged and married, I also quit my job to freelance full-time. There were lows, of course, rocky seasons and adjusting to transition, but overall 2017 was a year where a lot of dreams I had been dreamin' came to fruition. The above image is my 2017 top nine posts on Instagram, so I'll share a little about those...

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Why I Make Goals Instead of Resolutions

“Goals” versus “resolutions” may seem a lot like “tomato, tom-AH-to” to some people, but I think there’s a legitimate difference between the two. A lot of times, New Year’s resolutions sound like a list of don’ts for the upcoming months. And once you break them, you’re toast. Oh, and speaking of toast, remember that “no carbs” resolution? No toast for you. Personally, I think making goals instead...

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7 Supplies for Last-Minute Hosting

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — that sacred week between Christmas and New Year’s — where old friends are in town and nobody remembers what day it is. Naturally, if you live in the town your friends are visiting, the likelihood is high that you’ll be opening your home to unexpected guests. So, if you’re like me and prone to inviting people over last-minute, here are seven things to have...

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Our First Married Christmas

Who knew a married Christmas would feel so different than a dating Christmas?! Besides the obvious fact that Austin and I live together now, somehow Christmas this year feels so different than the last. It's fun to think of new traditions to create together and prepare for the season, until... dun dun dunnnnn... you realize you're newlyweds and don't collectively own any holiday decor. Ha! It...

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Queen City Gems, Vol. 2

Not to be overdramatic or anything, but every single person I know is really talented. Ha! That being said, I'm excited about this queen city gems post. If you missed my last one, you can check it out here. There are so many people doing cool things around this sweet little town of mine, and I love to see where we, as a community, are going. Here's some things I'm particularly pumped on this week: Rove...

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An Easy Veggie Recipe for Eating In

Each year, millions of students head off to college, warned about the “freshman 15”. What nobody tells you about, friends, is the dreaded NEWLYWED 15. I’m kidding, of course, but gettin’ hitched and moving in with a man is a big lifestyle change! It takes some adjusting to. Since Austin and I got married in late October, we’ve been steadily approaching the coziest time of year, and snuggling while...

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I've Got a New Last Name (and only a few feelings)

Well, hi, friends. Ana Elliott here. And, man, does that feel weird to type! Austin Elliott and I have only been married 31 days, but somehow it seems like a lifetime has passed in this month. We had the opportunity to take two weeks for our honeymoon in Europe, which was amazing, but it already feels like a distant dreamy memory and not the reality that we experienced just 15 or so days ago. I'm...

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I'm on a Podcast!

If you're reading this, Mom, I did it! Somebody asked me to be on a podcast! If you're reading this and you're not my mom, my friends Shailey and Katie have a fantastic podcast called... (drumroll, please) Shailey and Katie! They're two business-owning, work-from-home moms who are laughing their way through parenthood, and they asked me to talk about my journey to self-employment (because...

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Currently Wearing: Fall Potluck Overalls

So, you're telling me these overalls are named after one of my favorite seasonal activities?? Yes, yes they are. I recently got these "Fall Potluck Overalls" from Modcloth, and I thought the name was so stinkin' cute, I named my blog post after it. Here's the deal: I'm caught somewhere in between yesssss, bring on fall potlucks and waiiiiiiit, I would really love the weather to stay warm...

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4 Key Ingredients that Make the Perfect PSL

Well, if you landed here expecting to find an actual recipe for a pumpkin spice latte, you've come to the wrong place. Sorry! But as many of you know, my friend Stephanie and I have just finished a long (and tasty) journey of trying every (OK, almost every) PSL in our hometown. After I shared this post, I had a few people ask me what were some common denominators for our favorite pumpkin spice lattes....

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A Definitive Guide to the Pumpkin Spice Lattes of Springfield, MO

Well, friends. Here we are. It's nearly fall, and as the temperatures begin to drop, our cravings for sugary coffee drinks that mimic our favorite seasonal flavors are rising. They're rising quickly and furiously, and if this intro was too flowery and boring, here's the 'too long; didn't read' version: PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE SEASON IS UPON US. My friend, Stephanie, approached me about trying all the...

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A Peek at my Living Room

Happy Friday! Even though I work from home now, I'm always excited when the weekend comes. It gives me extra time to do some tidying up, deep cleaning and have some of my favorite people over (only when it's clean though, ha). Even though I've lived in my loft for over a year, it's taken me a while to feel like this room was "finished". And confession: I still don't feel like I'm totally finished...

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